How EFCC arrested, then released Abia governorship aspirant, Uche Ogah – Lawyer

Monday Ubani, a counsel to Abia State politician,
Uche Ogah, on Monday clarified reports that his
client was arrested by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission.
Mr. Ogah was reportedly arrested by officials of the
anti-graft agency as he was exiting the premises of a
Lagos court on Monday afternoon.
The oil and gas executive, who nearly became
governor of his state a few months ago based on a
court ruling that was later vacated by a superior
court, had been facing forgery charges before a
Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court since June 16.
The charges were brought following a petition to the
police by a Lagos businesswoman with whom Mr.
Ogah had engaged in oil and gas transaction.
Bridget Adeosun said Mr. Ogah allegedly duped her
by forging her signature to seal a memorandum of
understanding between her firm and the politician’s.
In a statement to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Ubani said
the police prosecutor dropped the charges against his
client at the resumed hearing on Monday.
“Just as my client was stepping outside the court,
officials of the EFCC invited him and took him to
their office,” Mr. Ubani said.
Mr. Ubani said upon arrival at the EFCC offices in
Lagos, Mr. Ogah was shown a petition that contained
the same allegations as the one with which the
police had dropped charges against him.
“We presented the same submission we made before
the police to the EFCC which is that the subject
matter in the forgery allegation bothers on a pure
business transaction which my client had with Mrs.
Adeosun.
“We showed the commission’s officials documents
about the business transaction and agreements
reached by parties in the business,” Mr. Ubani said.
The counsel said officials were “shocked that these
documents were never given to them where she
received her payments.”
“After reviewing our presentation, EFCC officials
asked my client to go home and come back another
day to have interview with the petitioner,” Mr.
Ubani said.
Mr. Ubani maintained that the charges against his
client are baseless and spurious.
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that
Mr. Ogah was taken into custody, but could not
immediately tell if he had been discharged as Mr.
Ubani stated.